Volunteers edged by No. 5 Buckeyes

With Greg Oden playing his most dominating game so far ? 24 points, 15 rebounds and numerous shots altered on defense ? the fifth-ranked Buckeyes defeated No. 16 Tennessee 68-66 on Saturday.

Ron Lewis? 3-pointer with 11.2 seconds left gave the Buckeyes the victory and helped the school salve the wounds of what has been a bad week.

Ohio State?s football team was humiliated 41-14 by Florida in the BCS national championship game on Monday night. The Buckeyes fell to 0-8 in bowl games against Southeastern Conference teams.

Mike Conley Jr. added 16 points for the Buckeyes (14-3), who had lost their three previous games this season against ranked opponents.

Chris Lofton was strong down the stretch for the Volunteers (13-4), scoring eight of their final nine points. Ramar Smith added 14 points and Dane Bradshaw 11.

Tennessee caused headaches for the Buckeyes with its fullcourt pressure in the second half, but with Oden prowling the lane had to content itself with mostly perimeter jumpers.

Still, the Volunteers pulled even at 59-59 on Lofton?s layup while hitting the deck with 3:41 left.

Ohio State countered when Oden had the ball low but kicked it outside to senior Ivan Harris, who hit a 3-pointer at the 3:10 mark.

Lofton, one of the nation?s leading 3-point shooters, shot an airball from behind the arc with 2:44 left, but then stole a pass at the other end and drove the length of the court for a layup.

After the teams traded free throws, Lofton scissored through the middle for a basket with just under a minute remaining to put Tennessee ahead 64-63 ? its first lead since late in the first half.

Conley hit a pair of foul shots, with Lofton answering on a drive. After each team missed a shot, Lofton ? an 82 percent free throw shooter ? missed the front end of a bonus situation with 23.9 seconds left and the Volunteers holding a 66-65 lead.

The Buckeyes hurried down and worked the ball on the perimeter, with Lewis popping free near the top of the key.

Tennessee rushed the ball up the floor. Smith tried an off-balance shot in the lane that missed the mark, with Wayne Chism?s tip bouncing around the rim and off. The ball was batted outside to Ohio State?s Jamar Butler who held onto it in front of the Tennessee bench while the final seconds ticked away before heaving the ball in the air.

Ohio State had huge advantages at the line and on the boards. The Buckeyes were 18-of-20 on free throws to Tennessee?s 5-of-11, and held a 46-29 edge on the boards.

Oden had 16 points and 10 rebounds ? exceeding his season averages in each ? at the break as Ohio State took a 36-33 lead on back-to-back 3-pointers by Oden?s high school teammate and fellow freshman, Conley.

The 7-foot Oden then assisted on two baskets and hit two free throws in the opening 3 minutes of the second half as the Buckeyes went on a 13-6 tear to build the lead to 49-39.